U.S. loses focus on Egypt - Edito The Washington Post
▻http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/us-loses-focus-on-egypt/2013/09/05/c5f545ca-162f-11e3-804b-d3a1a3a18f2c_print.html
THE DEBATE over Syria has obscured another critical decision about Middle East policy that President Obama and Congress must soon make: whether to sustain aid to the military-backed government that has been consolidating power in Egypt. An administration policy review was nearing completion when the chemical weapons attack near Damascus was detected; as we understand it, the options include a substantial cut in the $1.3 billion in annual U.S. aid provided to the Egyptian armed forces. (...) it is important that Mr. Obama act soon. While Washington has been fixed on Syria, the Egyptian regime of Gen. Abdel Fatah al-Sissi has moved steadily toward constructing an autocracy that would reverse Egypt’s 2011 revolution and its subsequent move toward democracy.
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In some respects, Egypt already is less free than it was during the last years of Mubarak. (...)
The Obama administration has been pressing the government to reconcile with the Islamists, release Mr. Morsi and other political prisoners and carry out a transition to a genuine democracy. That these appeals are ignored while the government indulges in grotesque anti-American propaganda (...)Not just Syria but Egypt requires a “shot across the bow”; Mr. Obama should take it before it is too late.